This easy chicken thigh curry recipe is perfect for a quick, delicious dinner. Tender chicken is simmered in a rich, flavourful sauce made with spices, coconut milk, and tomatoes. It's simple to prepare and packed with bold flavours.
You'll also love my creamy coconut chicken curry, easy pork curry, slow cooker chicken korma, and coconut salmon curry.
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Flavourful Combination: The blend of curry powder, chilli powder, and coconut milk creates a rich, aromatic sauce.
- Juicy Chicken Thighs: Using chicken thighs ensures the meat remains tender and juicy, even after baking.
- Simple Preparation: This recipe involves straightforward steps that anyone can follow, making it perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Versatile Ingredients: Common pantry ingredients like chopped tomatoes, garlic, and onions form the base of this dish.
- Customisable Heat: Adjust the chilli powder to control the spiciness, catering to different taste preferences.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Vegetable oil: For browning the chicken and sautéing the aromatics.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and depth to the sauce.
- Garlic: Provides a robust, aromatic flavour.
- Ginger: Adds a warm, slightly spicy undertone.
- Chicken thighs: The star of the dish, offering juicy and flavorful meat.
- Chopped tomatoes: Forms the base of the curry sauce.
- Coconut milk: Adds creaminess and balances the spices.
- Curry powder: The primary spice blend that defines the curry's flavour.
- Chili powder: Provides heat and enhances the overall spiciness.
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the flavours.
- Lime juice: Adds acidity to brighten the dish.
- Fresh coriander: For a fresh, herbal garnish.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Chicken Thigh Curry recipe step-by-step
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 190ºC (375ºF).
- Cook the chicken: Heat the oil in an ovenproof dish over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken skin-side down until crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Fry aromatics: Drain excess oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are soft, translucent, and slightly golden.
- Make the sauce: Add the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk to the pan. Whisk well, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add curry powder, chilli powder, honey, and lime juice. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Combine and bake: Return the chicken thighs to the pan, placing them in the sauce. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 20 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is bubbling and thickened.
- Serve: Serve the curry over basmati rice and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
📖 Variations
- Protein: Substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts or tofu for a vegetarian option.
- Spices: Experiment with garam masala, turmeric, or smoked paprika for different flavour profiles.
- Vegetables: Add vegetables like bell peppers, peas, or spinach for added nutrition.
- Sweetener: Replace honey with brown sugar or agave syrup if preferred.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Balancing Flavours: Adjust the acidity with lime juice and sweetness with honey to balance the flavours to your taste.
- Fresh Herbs: Add fresh herbs like mint or basil alongside coriander for a different aromatic twist.
- Thickening the Sauce: If the sauce is too thin, simmer it on the stove after baking until it reaches the desired consistency.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store the cooled chicken curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, place the chicken curry in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: To reheat, place the curry in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through, or microwave in a microwave-safe container, stirring occasionally.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Yes, boneless chicken thighs can be used. They may cook slightly faster, so adjust the baking time accordingly.
Yes, you can finish cooking the curry on the stovetop by simmering it until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened.
To prevent curdling, avoid boiling the sauce vigorously after adding the coconut milk. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
Yes, you can add a few tablespoons of yogurt at the end of cooking for extra creaminess. Stir it in just before serving.
Looking for other chicken curry recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Chicken Thigh Curry please let me know in the comments below, and please leave a star rating while you're there!
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Quick and Easy Chicken Thigh Curry
Ingredients
- 30 ml (2 tablespoon) vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb-size piece ginger, minced
- 1 kg (2 lb) chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in (boneless, skinless thighs can also be used)
- 400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes, see notes
- 400 ml (14 oz) tin coconut milk, see notes
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven:
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
Cook the chicken:
- Heat the oil in an ovenproof dish (a cast iron one works well). Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot (shimmering), brown the chicken skin-side down until crispy, about 5-8 minutes. Remove the thighs and set aside.
Fry aromatics:
- Drain the excess oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are soft, translucent, and slightly golden.
Make the sauce:
- Pour the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk into the pan. Whisk well, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the curry powder, chili powder, honey, and lime juice. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Combine and bake:
- Return the chicken thighs to the pan, placing them in the sauce. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 20 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce is bubbling and thickened.
Serve:
- Serve over basmati rice and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
Notes
- Tomatoes: Whole tinned tomatoes can be used; break them up with a sharp knife in the pan.
- Coconut Milk: Both full-fat and reduced-fat coconut milk work well in this recipe.
- Chicken Thighs: If using boneless chicken thighs, reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
daniel moore
cooked for me and the wife plus 4 kids, For once it was a meal where nobody had any complaints or picked at it, only problem was sauce was a bit watery so we just wacked it in a pan and turned heat up, stirred til thickened
Deborah Rainford
Happy that everyone loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! It's so appreciated! 🙂
Jana
Absolutely awesome recipe! Thank you.
Deborah Rainford
So happy you liked it. 🙂
Janis Yates
I make this recipe pretty much once a week! Absolutely love it. Thank you!
Deborah Rainford
So happy you love the recipe! And thank you for leaving a comment and a rating. It's so appreciated! 🙂
Caroline
This chicken curry is very delicious very good I have made it three times now. I changed the recipe a little bit by adding 2 cans of coconut milk and added a little bit more chicken and added more vegetables like mushrooms and celery and used 4 onions. It came out amazing!
Deborah Rainford
Love your adaptations! Thank you for sharing them! And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's so appreciated! 🙂
Reenie
So delicious and rich! Only thing I’d say is my chicken thighs needed much longer than 20 minutes. Cooked them for 35 - not sure why this is because oven was preheated, lid off, correct temp etc.
Deborah Rainford
So happy you liked the recipe. Your chicken thighs may have been bigger than the ones I used in the recipe which would explain the longer cook time. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's very appreciated. 🙂
Nina
These curry chicken thighs were out of this world! Thank you!
Deborah Rainford
Such a great recipe! My whole family loves this one!
Sheila
These chicken thighs make an appearance weekly on our dinner table! Great recipe. Thank you!
Chris
really tasty. I will make this again
Deborah Rainford
Thanks so much, Chris! And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. Its so appreciated!
Leslie McAvoy
This recipe is really good and fairly fast, but the cooking time is off. Browned chicken is not cooked, it's raw in the middle. I bumped the temp up to 325 and cooked for 30 minutes not 20. No chicken will cook all the way at less than 325 in 20 minutes. I would recommend using a meat thermometer until it reaches 165. Your bake temp is off and cook time is off, other than that the recipe is great!
Deborah Rainford
Thanks so much for the comment, Leslie. The temperature in the recipe is 190ºC which works out to 375ºf. If your oven was on 325f that would definitely equate to the 10-minute cooking difference. Cooking times are always a rough guide due to the variance in ovens. Some people's ovens will run hotter than others or a little cooler. So yes, a meat thermometer is always a good idea, as is an oven thermometer so you can see if your oven is running a little cool. And if your sauce is made the way the recipe states, it will be at a simmer which will be hot enough to finish cooking the chicken in the hot oven during the allotted 20 minutes. Hope that helps. And I'm really happy you loved the recipe.
Paul Gilbert
Hi Deborah! Thanks for this wonderful recipe it’s so simple & absolutely delicious . (And I'm very particular) I will most certainly be making it again. I’ve shared it to my friends x
Deborah Rainford
Thank you so much, Paul! So happy to see this. And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's very appreciated!
Lyne
Is the oven temperature off? I started at 190 as directed but it went way past the 20 minutes before bubbling and thickening, turned temp up and had to move to stove top after an hour to thicken and finish??? It was delicious!
Deborah Thompson
There could have been a few reasons for this, maybe the oven wasn't preheated or maybe the lid was on the pan while it was in the oven? I'm happy it worked out in the end that you loved the recipe!
Winnie
I made this tonight. Didn’t want to open a can of tomatoes so used marinara that was in the fridge. Came out great. Delicious! Adding it to the rotation
Deborah Thompson
Yes! A jar of marinara is perfect here too! Love that you improvised and made this recipe your own!